The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) is worried over what it describes as a worsening grain glut crisis threatening the livelihoods of thousands of farmers across the country.
In a statement issued by its leadership, PFAG revealed that more than 200,000 metric tonnes of unsold paddy rice and maize remain from the last farming season, while “many rice farms are still unharvested.” The association warned that farmers are now battling “bird invasions, bushfires, and limited harvesting capacity,” which could wipe out their investments if urgent action is not taken.
“This situation has the potential to derail government’s Feed Ghana programme as it will demotivate several farmers, including the youth, from engaging in any productive farming activity during the next planting season,” the group cautioned.
The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) earlier announced the release of GHS100 million to mop up excess produce and set minimum guaranteed prices for maize, rice, and gari. However, PFAG says the intervention has not been felt on the ground.
“Though these prices were not desirable, it was seen as a positive step,” the statement noted. “Sadly, farmers have yet to see and experience purchases of their grains by approved buying companies. To date, there is no information and data on which districts benefited, raising concerns about accountability and transparency.”
Following continued appeals from the association, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture recently announced an additional GHS100 million to further address the crisis, a move PFAG welcomed but said must come with greater transparency.
“To restore farmer confidence,” PFAG demanded, “immediate publication of companies, locations, and quantities of grains procured with the initial GHS100 million,” as well as “clear timelines for the commencement of grain purchases under the new allocation.”
The association also called for a published list of approved Licensed Buying Companies, Millers, and Aggregators with their assigned operational areas to enable direct engagement with farmers.
Beyond immediate interventions, PFAG is urging government to legislate mandatory patronage of locally produced rice and maize by all public institutions, including “schools, hospitals, and security services.” It also renewed calls for stronger border controls to curb smuggling and proposed “a temporary ban on rice imports until the situation stabilizes.”
The association further appealed for “coordinated public campaigns by relevant ministries and stakeholders to promote local rice consumption,” arguing that immediate implementation of these measures “will alleviate farmer distress and safeguard national food security.”
PFAG called for a long-term national strategy to address marketing challenges for all major crops, “including vegetables, cereals, and legumes, to prevent future crises.”
